Two churches were set on fire as thousands of people gathered in the centre of Santiago in the capital of Chile on the anniversary of social protests in the country. The peaceful protest suddenly turned violent after police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse the hooded and masked people.
According to reports, the protests were triggered by the increase in subway fare which then led to demands for nationwide social changes in the Plaza Italia, Santiago, Chile.
During the clash, protesters also looted the malls and supermarkets.
Amid the unrest and emergency situation, more than 15 metro stations were temporarily shut and several roads were ordered to block by authorities.
The rallies led the government to schedule a constituent referendum, on October 25 in order to change the country’s constitution written during the nation’s military dictatorship.
Last year in October 2019 in Chile, people’s anger against the government over social and economic inequality was at its peak. More than a million people took to the streets, demanding President Sebastian Pinera’s resignation and economic reforms. This was considered to be the largest anti-government demonstration in Chile ever. During the protest, more than 30 were killed, around 2,500 injured and 2,800 were arrested.